Decorative knob



Dec. 1,1970 R. s. GULETTE ETAL 3,543,329

DECORATIVE KNOB Filed Jan. 30, 1969 6 v mriwrw Wand nww

wwmm m A TTOR NEY 3,543,329 DECORATIVE KNOB Ronald S. Gulette, Warren, Robert G. Zeller, Troy, and

Albert J. Gonas, Grosse Pointe, Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Micln, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 30, 1969, Ser. No. 795,223 Int. Cl. Eb 1/00 U.S. Cl. 16121 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A knob has a decorative metal cap covering a plug and a transparent plastic casing bonding the cap to the plug and to a base which seats on the plug. The decorative metal cap is visible through the transparent casing.

This invention relates to knobs and more specifically to plastic knobs having a metallic-like appearance.

conventionally, knobs have been made out of plastic or metal. Metal knobs have a luxurious appearance but are heavy. This must be considered in the design of the apparatus operated by the knob, such as window regulator assemblies. On the other hand, plastic knobs do not have the luxurious appearance of the metal knob but are lighter in weight. Because of the lack of luxurious appearance, plastic knobs are often made in colors compatible with the surroundings to give them a pleasing and distinctive appearance. This increased the number of different knobs which must be made, shipped, and stocked. These disadvantages are not found in metal knobs which may be universally used with no matching to the surrounding color.

This invention provides a knob which has the advantages of plastic knobs and the appearance of metal knobs and thus combines the best features of both.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a plastic knob which has a pleasing and distinctive metallic-like appearance. It is also an object of this invention to provide a plastic knob with a metallic-like appearance provided by a transparent plastic casing covering a metal cap. It is a further object of this invention to provide a plastic knob With a metallic-like appearance having a transparent plastic casing covering a cap and also securing the parts of the knob together.

In attaining these objects, the knob of this invention has a decorative metal cap covering a base. A transparent plastic casing covers the cap and a portion of the base to bond the cap and base together. The decorative metal cap is visible through the transparent plastic casing to give the knob an attractive metallic-like appearance.

These and other objects of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the knob according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is anenlarged sectional view of the knob, taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the knob taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the base.

Referring now to the drawings, a knob includes a base 12 having a disc portion 14 and a hollow annular boss 16 extending outwardly therefrom on one side of the base 12. The boss 16 has an annular shoulder 18 which engages one side of a conventional handle (not shown) adjacent an aperture therein to locate the knob 10 prior to the free end of the boss 16 being headed over the other side of the handle. The disc portion 14 includes four apertures 20 equally radially and annularly spaced.

nited States Patent The apertures 20 may be otherwise spaced and in any number. The disc portion 14 also has four radial channels 22 on the opposite side of the disc portion 14 from the boss 16 extending radially from the hollow annular boss 16 and located between the apertures 20.

A thin walled metal cap 24 has a base wall 26 and has a decorative outer polished surface 28. The metal cap 24 can be made of various metals but probably the best is aluminum having a bright outer surface. Molded into the cap 24, or molded separately and inserted into the cap 24, is a plastic plug 30 having a continuous annular channel 32 with a radially inwardly extending lip 34, FIG. 2, and a central protrusion 36 which fits within the bore of the annular boss 16 to locate the plug 30 on the base 12. The protrusion 36 is slightly smaller than the bore of the boss 16. When the cap 24 and the plug 30 are seated on the disc portion 14 of base 12, the channel 32 opens to all four of the apertures 20 and all four of the channels 22. If the apertures 20 and the channels 22 are otherwise spaced as shown, then the shape of the channel 32 will be accordingly changed.

The base 12, the plug 30 and the cap 24 are assembled and placed in a suitable mold. A casing 38 of transparent or translucent plastic is then molded about the cap 24 and the peripheral portion of base 12. The plastic of the casing 38 also flows through the apertures 20 into and through the annular channel 32, on both sides of lip 34, then into the radial channels 22 toward the hollow boss 16. The air in the Channels 32 and 22 escapes out of the bore of the boss 16 through the space between the protrusion 34 and the bore of the boss 16.

The plastic casing will normally only partially fill the channels 22 but will prevent lateral motion of the plug 30 on the base 12.

After the casing 38 has been molded over the cap 24 and the periphery of the base 12, it can be seen that this casing 38 bonds the cap 24 and the plug 30 to the base 12 to provide a unitary knob. The polished surface 28 of the cap 24 is visible through the transparent casing so as to give the knob a metallic-like appearance. In the specific embodiment shown the plastic casing is provided with a concentric series of annular ribs 40 and a stepped series of annular ribs 42 to enhance the metallic-like appearance.

Thus, a knob constructed according to this invention has a transparent plastic outer surface and a luxurious metallic-like appearance for universal use in various colors and product models.

We claim:

1. A knob comprising an annular base member for attachment to a handle and having at least one aperture therethrough, a cap member having one side thereof seated on one side of the base member and having a decorative outer surface, one member having channel means therein in the one side thereof communicating with the aperture and closed by the one side of the other member, a transparent casing covering the cap member and a portion of the other side of the base member, the casing filling the aperture and the channel means to bond the cap member to the base member, and vent means communicating with the channel means through the base member and permitting the escape of air therethrough, the decorative outer surface of the cap member being visible through the casing.

2. A knob comprising an annular base having a hollow boss for attachment to a handle, a plastic cap seated on one side of the base and having a protrusion mating with the hollow boss to locate the cap on the base, a metallic covering on the plastic cap and having a decorative outer surface, and a transparent casing covering the cap and covering at least a portion of the other side of the base to bond the cap and covering to the base, the decorative outer surface of the covering being visible through the transparent casing.

3. A knob comprising an annular base having a hollow boss for attachment to a handle and having at least one aperture therethrough, a cylindrical plug seated on one side of the base and having a protrusion which mates with the hollow boss to locate the plug on the base, said plug having a channel therein opening to the base aperture, a cap covering the plug and having a decorative outer surface, and a transparent plastic casing covering the cap, plug and a portion of the other side of the base, the casing filling the aperture and substantially filling the channel to bond the cap, plug and base together, and vent means, through the base, communicating with the channel and the hollow boss and permitting the escape of air therethrough, the decorative outer surface of the cap being visible through the transparent casing.

4. A knob comprising an annular base for attachment to a handle and having a plurality of spaced apertures therethrough adjacent the periphery thereof, an annular plug seated on one side of the base and having a channel therein opening to the apertures, said plug having locating means to locate the plug on the base, a cap covering the plug and having a decorative outer surface, and a transparent plastic casing covering the cap and the periphery of the other side of the annular base, the casing filling the apertures and the channel to bond the cap, the plug and the annular base together, and vent means, through the base, communicating with the channel and permitting the escape of air therethrough, the decorative outer surface of the cap being visible through the transparent casing.

5. A knob comprising an annular base having a hollow boss for attachment to a handle and having a plurality of spaced apertures therethrough adjacent the periphery thereof, said base having a plurality of radial channels on the one side of the base spaced between the apertures and extending from the periphery of the base to the opening in the hollow boss, an annular plug seated on the one side of the base and having a protrusion fitting within the opening in the hollow boss to locate the plug on the base, the protrusion being smaller in size than the opening in the hollow boss to vent the radial channels to the atmosphere, said plug having an annular channel therein opening to the apertures and closed between apertures by the one side of the base, a cap covering the plug and having a decorative outer surface, and a transparent plastic casing covering the cap and the periphery of the other side of the annular base, the casing filling the apertures and the annular channel, the air therein venting through the radial channels and through the hollow boss to the atmosphere, the casing bonding the cap, plug and the annular base together, the decorative outer surface of the cap being visible through the transparent casing.

6. A knob comprising an annular base having a hollow boss for attachment to a handle and having a plurality of spaced apertures therethrough adjacent the periphery thereof, said base having a plurality of radial channels on the one side of the base spaced between the apertures and extending from the periphery of the base to the opening in the hollow boss, an annular plug seated on the one side of the base and having a protrusion fitting within the opening in the hollow boss to locate the plug on the base, the protrusion being smaller in size than the opening in the hollow boss to vent the radial channels to the atmosphere, said plug having an annular channel therein opening the apertures and a radial lip extending within the channel, the channel being closed between apertures by the one side of the base, a cap covering the plug and having a decorative outer surface, and a transparent plastic casing covering the cap and the periphery of the other side of the annular base, the casing filling the apertures and the annular channel, the air therein venting through the radial channels through the hollow boss to the atmosphere, the casing bonding the cap, plug and the annular base together and surrounding the radial lip to additionally bond the plug and the base, the decorative outer surface of the cap being visible through the transparent casing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,071,023 1/1963 Herr et al. 16121 2,823,479 2/1958 Zdanowski 4033l 2,584,841 2/1952 Capree et al. 40331 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner P. A. ASCHENBRENNER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 292347 

